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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet l. O. E. HOUGHTON. NAIL PLATE FEEDER.

Patented Apr. 3, 1888.

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N. PETERS. Fhutohwcgn her. wmnmcn. n. c.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O. E. HOUGHTON.

NAIL PLATE FEEDER.

No. 380,572. Patented Apr. 3, 1888.

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N. PETERS. Pholoulhognpher. Washingian. D C.

'4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.) I

- (LE. HOUGHTON.

NAIL PLATE FEEDER.

No. 380,572. Patented Apr. 3, 1888.

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UNiTED STATES PATENT @rricn.

CHARLES E. HOUGHTON, OF N ORTHUMBERLAND, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HORACE R. JOHNSON AND IDA M. HOUGHTON, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

NAIL-PLATE FEEDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,572, dated April 3, 1888.

Application filed November 26, 1587. Serial No. 256,l21. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. Honerrron, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Northumberland, in the county of Northumberland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Nail-Plate- Feeding Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to improvements in machines for feeding nail-plates to the cutting mechanism of a nail-cutting machine; and the object is to provide a mechanism for the purpose stated which is cheap in its construction and reliable, certain, and durable in its operation.

Myinvention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and specially as pointed out in the claims hereto.

I have fully illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, to be taken as a part of this specification, wherein- Figure 1 is a side view of my improved feeder in operative connection with a naileutting machine. Fig. 2 is a side view taken in the reverse of Fig. 1. 3 is a plan view. Fig. 4 is a perspective view taken from the feeding side of the machine, the bed-frame of the nail-machine being broken off, and also as having the treadle-lever removed. Fig. 5 is a detail of the latch which holds the sleeve down on its standard. Fig. 6 is a view of the trip lever or rod. Fig. 7 is a view of the lever which operates the ratchet-bar. Fig. 8 is a View of the standard to which the pitman is connected. Fig. 9 is the lever-rod connecting the sleeve on the standard shown in Fig. 8 and the crank-arm of the treadle. Fig. 10 is the lever which. reciprocates the feeder and operates the loose box of the feeding-screw. Fig. 11 is the sleeve on the standard. Fig. 12 is the tilting lever. Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the feeder mechanism detached from the operating mechanism. Fig. 14 is the plate-gage. Fig. 15 is the reciprocating sleeve or box. Fig. 16 is the feeder-support or bedpiece of the feeder. Fig. 17 is the eccentric, showing the adjustable connection with the pitman. Fig. 18 shows details of the boxes which hold and guide the feeding-screw, the loose box being shown removed from its connections, the better to show the construction.

thrown too far in that direction.

Reference being had to the drawings, A designates the frame of a nailcutting machine, which is of the usual modern construction, in the posts 1 of which is journaled the main shaft or spindle 2. On the shaft 2 is arranged and properly mounted an eccentric, 3, the band of which is formed with a sleeve, 4, having screws, asshown, to bear down on the bar 0f the pitman.

5 designates the pitman making the connection between the eccentric and the feeder mechanism by having its rear end adjustably fixed in the sleeve 4. Near the forward and free end of the pitman is formed a notch, 6, on the under side, which engages with the projecting end of the rocking standard of the feeder.

B designates that part of the nail-machine having a recess to take the bed-plate and bed- 73 die and bed-knife, as usual, substantially as shown.

C designates the feeder-support, consisting of a substantial piece of metal substantially of the shape seen in Fig. 16 of the drawings. 75 The rear end is flattened, forming a seat for the plate-gage 7, the parts being secured to the bed-piece by means of a bolt, 8, passed through them and the bed-piece, as shown. The feedersupport is re-enforced in the middie portion, asat 9, and is provided with bearing-hole 10, in which is arranged the journal of the rocking standard, hereinafter more fully described. The free end portion, a, of the feeder-support is extended and arranged on an in- 8 5 eline, forming a bearing-plate on which the feeder-box reciprocates. To limit the movements of the feeder-box, the part a terminates in shoulders 11 at its point of union with the other part of the feedersupport, and at its c end has a pin-hole, 12, in which may be fixed a pin to prevent the feeder-box from being At a proper point on the side of the feeder-support is projected abearing-pin, 14, on whichthe free end 5 of the tilting arm of the feeder-box bears, as shown.

D, Fig. 15, designates the feeder-box or sliding bed, to which the feeder rod and mechanism are operatively connected. In the lower part of the sliding bed is formed a sleeve, 15, adapted to take the projecting part of the feeder-support and arranged thereon to be reciprocated by movement of the pitman and rocking standard. From the inner end of the sliding bed areprojected bearings 16, which hold the bearing-pin of the lever which reciprocates the sliding bed and also clamps and loosens the loose box of the feeder-screw. On the upper face of the sliding bed is formed a small sleeve, 17, in which the arm of the trip or latch bar is arranged to slide, and near the outer end of the sliding bed is formed a hole, 18, through which the hearing or shaft which supports the feeder-frame and feed-rod and the tilting lever is projected.

In the bearing of the feedersupport is arranged ashaft, 19, on the outer end of which is rigidly fixed the rocking standard or lever 20. (Shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings.) This consists of a metal bar formed with an aperture at its lower end to take the shaft 19 and having a projecting lug, a, to engage the pivoted and spring-actuated latch, hereinafter described. The upper end of the rocking lever 20 is formed to suitably engage the notch 6 of the pitman. On the inner projecting end of the shaft 19 is rigidly mounted the pitman 22, formed in its free end with a slot, 23, which engages the pin in the lower end of the rack or ratchet bar which turns the feeder-rod. It will be seen from the foregoing description that as the rocking lever is vibrated the shaft is rocked, and this pitman 22 is given a partial rotary reciprocation, thereby giving a vertical or substantially vertical movement to the rack or ratchet bar. The slot 23 is shown as having one end opened through the end of the lever, which construction makes it more convenient for detachment of the connection; but a slot with closed end may be substituted and serve the purpose intended.

E (see Fig. 11) designates a sleeve arranged on the rocking standard and formed with a bridge or loop, 24, on the top to prevent the pitman from being thrown out of its course when disengaged from connection with the top of the rocking standard. One side of this sleeve is left open, as shown, in order to providea convenient receptacle for the latch which holds it down during the operation of the feeder. From the front edges of this sleeve E are projected bearing-ears, in which is pivoted a small anti-friction wheel, 25, over which the pitman is carried when the sleeve is lifted and the' pit man is free from the rocking standard. In this sleeve is pivoted a latch, 26, the lip of which engages the lug a on the rocking standard and holds the sleeve down, so that the end of the standard will project above the upper sleeve and permit the pitman to automatically connect with the standard.

To the upper end of the latch 26 is connected one end of a trip-bar, 27, the body of this bar being arranged over the sliding bed of the feeder, with its free end passed through the small sleeve 17 on the sliding bed and arranged to be abutted by a lug on the slide of the feeder-frame. As the feeder is carried down on its bar, the lug comes in contact with the end standard.

of the trip-bar and pushes it inwardly, freeing the latter from engagement, and brings the lifting mechanism, hereinafter described, into action to throw the sleeve on the rocking standard up and disengage the pitman.

In order that the latch 26 shall be automatically thrown into engagement with the lug on the rockingstandard, I connect a spri'ng,28, toitslower end and anchor the other end to any suitable part of the machine. I have shown it arranged on one of the set-screws of the bedpieee; but any other well-known connection may be provided. Mounted in suitable bearings, as 29, fixed to the frame of the machine, is a shaft, 30, having its ends struck or formed into arms 31 32, to one of which, as 31, is connected atreadle-bar, 33,.suhstan tially' as shown. To the other arm of the shaft is connected one end of aconnecting-bar, 34, preferably of the form shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings. The other end of the eonnecting-baris pivoted to a lug or pin in the sleeve E on the rocking At a proper location, so as to bear upon the arm 32 of the shaft and lift the connecting-rod 34, is a spring, 35. The pin which connects the rod and arm may be extended, as shown, and the free end of the lift ing-spring arranged to bear upon it. hen the trip-bar connectedto the upper end of the latch moves the latch from engagement, the force of the spring 35 lifts the connectingbar, which, having its end connected to the sleeve E, carries that up and disengages the pitman. By pressing down the treadle-bar the connecting-bar is drawn down, bringing the sleeve with it,until the latch is in position to engage the lug of the rocking standard, when by the force of the spring on the latch the engage ment is effected and the mechanism isin condition for the pitman to take hold of the rocking standard.

G designates the connecting-rod by which the sliding bed is reciprocated, and also constitutes in its extended arm the lever means by which the loose box of the feeder-screw is clamped. The form is shown in Fig. 10 of the drawings, and consists of two arms, 36 37, rigidly connected together at their inner ends by a cross-piece, and provided with a bearing, b, passed through and fixed in the extension of the sliding bed. At the end of the arm 37 is formed a lip or lug, 38, which is arranged to set under the corresponding device on the slide of the loose screw-box and lift it into the clamped position of the screw-rod of the feeder. The arms of this connectingrod are apportioned so that the loosebox of the screw-rod shall always be clamped when the plate is being fed to the machine and to lower at the free end when the latch is disengaged and the feeder to be run back on the supporting-arm.

H designates the feeder-rod support, consisting of a substantial flat metal bar rigidly.

mounted onthe shaft 18, projected through the sliding bed, and formed with a rack, 39,

on one edge to engage with the teeth of the spring-actuated gear. On the under side of the feed-rod support, at its inner end, is a lug, 40, on which the spring 41 bears and operates to throw the end of the plate always down on the bed-knife while being fed to the machine. This spring exerts a force opposite to that of the tilting lever d on the opposite end of the shalt 18 and brings the nipper or plateholder down again when the feeder-rod is tilted. The spring 41 is fixed under the feedersupport O and held by the same belt that secures the feeder-support in position. The inner end of the feeder-rod is widened for more conveniently attaching the parts immediately asso' ciated therewith at this part, as the bearings 42, in which is jonrnaled the ratchet-wheel 43, having an angular aperture, 44, through its axis to take the handle of the nipper-rod, and in a way or channel, 0, formed behind the ratchet-wheel on the feeder-rod support, is loosely arranged a ratchet-bar, 45, in the lower end of which is a pin which engages with the slot 23 in the pitman 22.

On the feedcrrod support is mounted a sliding sleeve, 47, having a laterally-projectedlug, 48, which sets against the end of the trip 28 as the plate mechanism is carried forward in the direction of the machine. On the sleeve 4'7 is fixed a spring, 49, the free end of which bears against a flat and widened part of the nipper rod, substantially as shown, and at the outer end of the sleeve 47 is fixed a plate or other suitable means to serve as bearings for the outer ends of the plate-rod and feeder-screw,

I designates the nipper-rod, provided with the usual nippers, d, to hold the plate. The nipper-rod is angular in cross-section and is formed with a flattened and broadened part, as 51, at its outer end, against the sides of which the end of the spring 49 bears and acts to always throw the rod with the plate fiat on the knife-bed, as these flattened sides are ar ranged at an angle the reverse of that at which the plate is fed, so that if the action of the ratchet bar and wheel fails to bring the nipperrod with its plate square on the bed-knife this spring completes the operation by carrying the Dipper-rod over the deadpoint between the teeth of the wheel and ratchet. The nipperrod is projected through the sleeve or aperture in the axis of the ratchetwhecl and has its outer end j ournaled in the means provided for that purpose, as described, and on the proj ect ing end has rigidly mounted a small gearwheel, 52, which meshes with a corresponding gear-wheel, 53, fixed on the end of the feedscrew 54, mounted in a bearing in the sliding sleeve, and from thence loosely projected through apertures 55 in the covering or shield in which the stationary box 56 is mounted and secured. The seat in the box 56, in which the screw 54 fits, is made smooth, so that when the screw is not clamped by the other part of the hearing it may slide through the aperture 55 unimpeded.

57 designates the adjustable bearing, Fig. 18, of the screw-rod. It consists of the bearing part formed with a threaded seat, 58, to engage the threads of the screw, and is provided with a support, 59, having a slot to set over and about the neck of the box-shield, the slot being of sufficient length to permit the box to drop down out of engagement with the screw when the feed-rod is drawn back. On the upper end of the support 59 is a projection, 60, which sets over the end of the arm 37- on the part G. On the under side of the sliding sleeve 47, in suitable bearings, is journaled a small gearwheel, 61, which meshes with rack 39, and attached to the shaft of this gear'wheel 61 is a return'spring, 62, which, being wound up as the sliding sleeve progresses toward the machine, serves to return the sleeve and immediately-associated parts when the grip on the screw is released.

The variations of feed to accommodate the movements to nails of different sizes is accomplished by making the threads of the feeding-screw of such pitch as to move the rod forward just the distance of the width of the nail to be cut in one turn over of the rod, this movement of the nippcr-rod and screw also being regulated by the connection of the pitma-n, the rocking standard, and the ratchetbar which revolves the nipperrod.

The operation may be stated as follows: Motion is communicated to the rocking standard by the reciprocations of the pitman on the shaft of the nail-machine. the rocking standard vibrate the pitman, having connection with the ratchet-bar engaging the ratchet through which the nipper-rod travels, and thus revolves the nipper-rod with its plate. At the same time and through the iustrumentality of the rocking standard the part or lever in connection with the loose box on the screw holds the box clamped on the screw, which, having connection with the rod through the gear-wheels on the ends of these respective parts, rotates the screw, which carries the nipper-rod in the direction of the knife, until the end of the latch-trip is engaged by the sliding sleeve on the supportingbar, when the trip is pushed inward, releasing the latch from the rocking standard and bringing the spring into force to throw up the sleeve on the rocking standard, disengaging the pitman from the standard, leaving the box on the screw loose and the nipperrod and screw in condition to be carried back on the supporting-bar by the force of the returnspring. As the sliding box is reciprocated on its support, and, of course, with it the nipperrod, the plate end of the nipper-rod is tilted sufficiently to permit the plate to be turned by the engagement of the lever with the lug on the side of the main support and again brought down with the end bearing on the bed-knife by the spring projecting under the sliding box and engaging with the lug at the ratchet-bar sleeve. To throw the mechanism The movements of r00 into operation, the treadle is pushed down, bringing the latch into engagement, exposing the end of the rocking standard to engagement with the pitman,and the operation is repeated.

\Vhat I claim is- 1. In a nail-plate-feediug machine, the combination, with a rocking standard to operate the feed mechanism, of a pitman formed with a notch to detachably engage the head of the rocking standard, a sleeve fitted to slide on the rocking standard, and a lever to lift the sleeve and disengage the notch of the pitman from the head of the rocking standard, substantially as described.

2. In a nail-plate-fecding machine, the combination, with a rocking standard to operate the feed mechanism, of a pitnian formed with a notch to detachably engage the head of the rocking standard, a sleeve fitted to slide on the rocking standard, a spring-actuated latch pivoted in-the said sleeve to engage the rocking standard and hold the sleeve down thereon, a

trip-lever moved by the progression of thenipper-rod carriage to release the said latch, and a lever to throw up the sleeve on the rocking standard, substantially as described, and for the purpose stated.

3. In a nail-plate-feeding machine, the combination, with a supporting-bar fixed t0 the bed of the nail-machine, of a rocking standard pivotally mounted in said support, a sleeve titted to slide on said standard, a sliding box mounted on the projecting end of the supporting-bar, a connecting rod or bar between the sliding sleeve on the rocking standard and the sliding box to reciprocate the latter, and a rotatable nipper mechanism mounted on the slidingbox, substantially as described.

4. In a nail-plate-feeding mechanism, the combination, with a supportingbar fixed to the nail-machine, of a rocking standard journaled in the supporting-bar, a sliding box mounted on the projecting end of the support ing-bar and arranged to be reciprocated by the movements of the rocking standard, a nipper-rod carriage mounted pivotally on the sliding box to travel therewith, a ratchet wheel having an aperture through its axis to take the nipper-rod journaled on the carriage, a nipper-rod journaled to the sleeve on the carriage and projected through the axis of the ratchet wheel, a vibratory lever fixed on the journal of the rocking standard, and a ratchetbar connected to the end of said vibratory lever and arranged to mesh with the ratchetwheel on the nipper-rod, substantially as described, and for the purpose stated.

5. The combination, with the supportingbar, the rocking standard, and the sliding box mounted on the supporting-bar and arranged to be reciproeated by the rocking standard, of the nipper-rod carriage pivotally mounted on the sliding box, a ratchet-wheel having a hollow journal mounted on the carriage, a sliding sleeve, as D, mounted on the carriage, a nipper-rod having one end journaled in the sliding sleeve and projected through the journal of the ratchet'wheel and havinga gear-wheel on v the end, a feeding-screw having a gear to mesh with the gear on the nipper-rod and projected through a fast and loose screw-box, a rack a lever actuated by the rocking standard to clamp and unclamp the loose box, substantially as described.

7. In a nail-plate-feeding mechanism, the combination, with the rocking standard, the supporting-bar, and the sliding box, of the nipper rod support or carriage pivotally mounted on the sliding box,a spring, as 41, to draw the nipper-rod support down, and a lever, as d, fixed on thejournal of the nipperrod support to raise the support, substantially as described, and for the purpose stated.

8. In anail-plate-feeding machine, the coin bination, with the rocking standard, the sup porting-bar, and the sliding box mounted on the projecting end of the support, of the nip-. per-rod support pivotally mounted on the sliding box, a rotatable nipper-rod mounted on the nipper-rod support and formed with an angular handle, and a spring, as 49, on the nipper-rod support, arranged withits free end to throw the nipper-rod flat on the bed-knife of the machine, substantially as described.

9. In a nail-plate-feeding machine, a rotatable and reciprocating nipper-rod having an angular handle projected loosely through a ratchet-wheel bar to rotate the ratchet-wheel and nipper-rod toward the machine, and a le vet to reciprocate the ratchet-bar, substan- CHARLES E. HOUGHTON.

Attes't:

EML. WiLvERT, T. H. JOHNSON.

IIO 

